The Things I Hear On My Walks

One of the added bonuses of my late afternoon walks is the chance to eavesdrop on life - the interesting things people say or do. Take this afternoon for example.

Passing through a reserve, (park) I decided to rest before continuing on to the next part of my walk. Not far away four young mothers were sitting at a picnic table. Their children, (aged about eleven or so), had just finished school for the day and dressed in the uniform of the local "posh" school, were playing close by. I thought they were rather quiet but one mother obviously had other ideas. Hearing her little boy yell out to his mate, (as kids do when they are playing in a park) she made her displeasure known.

"Daahling, don't shout please. Remember who you are."

Huh?

I had no idea that royalty had moved in to my local suburb, although they couldn't have been British royalty as these kids were well behaved and sober. At least I thought so even if the, 'To The Manor Born' mother didn't share the same opinion.

They say that Australia is a classless society and that's very true - sometimes it's hard to find any class here at all! but it appears mummy has taken it upon herself to construct her own little class system.

What I found ironic was that she and the other three members of the, Inadequate Yuppie Sheilas Society, were making far more noise with their, "Oh absolutelys' " and forced laughter than their kids!

A little further on I sat at the end of a wharf to feel the wind on my face and watch the river flow by. In a way it was bad timing because a number of school rowing teams were on the river. It seems the wharf marked the end of the course and when one team pulled up and let down their oars, one team member (aged about fourteen) started shouting out, "What the fuck was that?" He repeated the question several times, his voice carrying all along the river.

When he decided to save breath by shortening the questioning to just, "what the fuck?" his teacher in an accompanying motor boat decided to teach the lad some manners.

"Can you keep the swearing down please - there are girls on the river".

That's what I like - a gentleman and a scholar. Now I know why it's one on the most expensive schools in Sydney.